If you want to be more creative you should give up.

Sorry, but it's true. You really need to just give up.

Give up trying to make everything you create perfect. Perfection is a myth.

Give up over being overly critical of your work. You are your own worst critic and only you have the power to shut that critic down.

Give up listening to naysayers. Most have done nothing themselves and are fearful of those who want to do something. Da Vinci would have had many naysayers telling him his ideas were crazy or rubbish.

Give up listening to critics. As with your inner critic these too should be ignored. Picasso had critics, as did Warhol, and every band, photographer, filmmaker, and fashion designer. And more often than not the critics have never done anything worthwhile in the particular craft they are critiquing.

Give up assuming everything will happen overnight. The only thing that happens overnight is a good night's sleep and the date on your calendar changes. Most overnight success stories you read about actually have many years not talked about leading up to that point because the media knows that 'Overnight success' gets more readers than 'It took her 12 years to succeed'.

Give up believing the world owes you a creative living. There's no silver platter with your name etched on it. Creative recognition is earned not given out like participation trophies.

Give up thinking your work is better than everyone else's. Just as every boxer knows there is someone out there who may be able to knock them out the same applies to your work.

Give up thinking your work is not as good as everyone else's. Just like that other boxer, your work can knock someone else's out. This is the balance, the yin and yang of creative work.

But never give up your passion for the work.

What you need to do is focus on your work, your ideas, your creative output. You need to quash your inner critic, give other critics and naysayers the middle finger, understand that perfection kills creativity, learn some patience but don't get complacent, and most importantly believe in the work you're doing because if you do then others will as well.

Sometimes giving up is the best place to start.

Rodd

I'm a Creative Director / Writer / Strategist / Thinker / Creative Coach and a bit more. You can also find me on Twitter,  Instagram and on Facebook. Or drop me an email – [email protected]

Words (aside from credited quotes) Copyright Rodd Chant 2018

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